Bean washer



May19, 1942.

J. l cox BEAN WASHER Filed April '7, 1941 o q a 9 600 INVENTOR ATTOR N EY S Patented May 19, 1942 BEAN WASHER John H. Cox, Morales, Tex., assignor to William N. Meeks, Morales,'Tex.'

Application April 7, 1941 Serial No. 387,327

3 Claims. (01; 146-196) This invention relates to a bean washer for washing beans and other vegetables preparatory to cooking the same.

An object of the present invention is to provide a kitchen utensil of this character in which the wire mesh basket, the reinforcing frame therefor, and the combined supporting ring and handle are secured together by a strip of relatively thin sheet metal folded along its central portion over the supporting ring, the edge portions of the strip being pressed inwardly toward the ring and clamped against the wire mesh, and against the upper ends of the arms of the reinforcing frame, by means of a struck-out rib which forms a crimp in the upper ends of the arm of the supporting frame and in the upper e e portion of the wire mesh basket to permanently assemble the parts without necessitating the use of solder, welding, or other extraneous fasteners.

A further object is to provide a device of this character which will be formed of a few strong, simple and durable parts, which will be inexpensive to manufacture, and which will not easily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, it being understood that various modifications may be resorted 'to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a bean washer constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a detail longitudinal sectional view showing the hinge connection of the cover.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view showing the reinforcing frame for the wire mesh basket.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective view showing the rib formed in the thin sheet metal strip for assembling the parts.

Referring now to the drawing in which like characters of reference designate similar parts in the various views, the bean washer comprises a frame formed of a single piece of sheet metal and including a plurality of arm in which extend radially from a solid central portion II, the outer end portions of the arms being bent upwardly to form sides l2 of the frame.

A wire ring I3 is provided with a loop extension [4, which latter forms a handle. A wire mesh basket I5 is disposed in the frame. the

'arms l0 being disposed underneath the bottom of the basket and'the sides l2 of the frame'extending upwardly outside the side wall of the basket.

A strip N5 of relatively thin sheet metal is folded along its central portion over the supporting ring l3, as best shown in Figure 4, the

edge portions of the strip being pressed inwardly below the ring, as shown at ll. A pressed-out rib I8 is formed in the sheet metal strip and crimps the upper ends of the arms l2, as shown at H), and also crimps the upper edge of the basket I5, as shown at 20, to rigidly and permanently assemble the parts without the use of solder or other extraneous connectors.

A perforated circular cover 2| formed of thin gauge sheet metal, is provided with a pair of hinge 'ears 22, and between the hinge ears is provided with an upstanding thumb piece 23. The loop l4 of wire forming the handle is inclosed in a thin sheet metal casing 24, the edge portions of which are bent around the sides of the handle. The casing 24 is provided with a hinge eye 25. A hinge pintle 26 is passed through the hinge cars 22 of the cover and through the hinge eye 25 of the handle.

In operation, the beans, peas, rice, corn, fruit or other vegetables, are placed in the basket l6 and then the thumb of the operators hand is held against the thumb piece 23 to hold the cover 2| closed. The device is then submerged in a vessel of water and moved backwardly and forwardly therein to quickly and thoroughly wash the commodity. Subsequently the thumb piece 23 is pressed down against the handle casing 24 to lift the cover and permit the washed commodity being poured from the basket into the cooking utensil.

From the above description it is thought that the construction andv operation of the invention will be fully understood without further explanation.

What is claimed is:

1. A kitchen utensil comprising a wire mesh basket, a reinforcing frame comprising arms extending underneath the basket, the arms being bent upwardly to extend outside of the basket, a supporting ring, a handle formed integral with the ring, a strip of relatively thin sheet metal foldedalong its central portion over the supporting ring, the longitudinal edge portions of the strip being pressed inwardly below the ring, and a struckout rib in said edge portions forming a crimp in the upper ends of the arms of the supporting frame and in the upper edge portion of the wire tions of the strip being pressed inwardly below r the ring, a pressed out rib formed in the sheet metal strip below. the ring crimping the upper ends of said sides of the frame and also crimping the upper edge of the basket to rigidly and permanently assemble the parts, and a perforated cover hingedly connected to the handle provided with an upstanding thumb piece for raising and lowering the cover by pressure of the operator's thumb when the handle is grasped in the operators hand.

3. A kitchen utensil comprising a wire mesh basket, a supporting frame including a plurality of arms extending radially underneath the basket and thence extending upwardly outside of the basket, a wire supporting ring provided with a loop extension forming a handle, a sheet metal casing on the loop having a hinge eye, a cover for the basket having hinge ears, a pivot pin passed through the hinge ears of the cover and the hinge eye of the casing, a thumb piece extending upwardly from the cover between said hinge ears,

. a single strip of relatively thin sheet metal folded along its central portion over the support- 'ing ring, the edge portions of the strip being :pressed inwardly below the ring, and a pressed out rib vformed in the sheet metal strip below the ring crimping the upper ends of the arms of the frame and also crimping the upper edge of the wiremesh basket to rigidly and permanently assemble the parts.

JOHN H. COX. 

